𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐅𝐈𝐅𝐓𝐄𝐄𝐍 - ahoy ladies!

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 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐌𝐀𝐋𝐋 𝐖𝐀𝐒 absolutely packed.

 Colourful teenagers with glistening jewellery dangling around their necks and wrists flitted from store to store. Children giggled and ran around as though it were a park; their icecreams dribbled down their fingers and splattered onto the ground in sugary, sticky puddles.

 Scarlet had beelined for Burger King, her nose following that salty scent of patties and fries as though they were signals in the sky. The line was absolutely horrendous; it twisted and twirled like coiling vines striding up a trellis and took well over twenty minutes to finally die down.

 With a piping hot paper bag stuffed with burgers and fries, and a hand clutching a little tray of assorted milkshakes, Scarlet trudged through the mall with elbows tucked close; the scent of sweet perfume wafted by, and a cluster of kids skipped closer to the toy store a and a gaggle of giggling teens gathered like a pack of chittering animals.

 The glaring sign for Scoops Ahoy was like a beacon glinting high on the wall, pulling Scarlet ever closer. Steve's voice met her ears, his bored drawl as he asked for customer's orders and huffed and puffed his way through dotting sprinkles atop assorted ice creams or squeezing syrups until they dribbled down a cone and splattered on the counter in pitiful piles.

 Scarlet would have usually bypassed each and every sugar-hungry customer and trailed well into the back of the store. This time, however, she merely waited patiently behind each of the chattering kids, or the lovey-dovey couples hoping to share a banana split.

 One by one the customers left the store with their sweet desserts and multitudes of toppings in hand... Just two teenage girls were left, obscuring Scarlet from Steve's view. As ever, Steve Harrington stuck a smile on his face and did his utmost to draw the girl's attention to him...

 Soon enough they were giggling to one another, whispering about the idiot behind the counter. There was a sudden urge alighting within Scarlet... one that begged her to twist a crimson coil around their ankles until they toppled to the ground.

 She restrained herself as their laughter faded from earshot.

 Steve was leaning on the counter, his head firmly planted within his hands. The sailor hat atop his head was sliding off, and it soon toppled beside him in a pathetic little lump.

 Scarlet smothered her lips with her prettiest smile, plump lips tugging so very high that her cheeks rose along with them. Dimples dug into her skin as she stalked forwards, planting an elbow on the sticky counter while her chin found her palm, squishing her cheeks further.

 "Hey, sailor."

 Steve whipped up, the frown from his face seemed to evaporate entirely, no remnant left behind. He felt his lips rise on their own accord, felt the light buzz within his gut as he scooped up his hat, "Hey!"

 His head ticked to the side, a cluster of unruly brunette hair flicking into his eyes as he gestured for Scarlet to make her usual way around the counter; just as always.

 Scarlet, with the bag of food still firmly clasped within her deft fingers, quickly joined Steve behind the counter, brandishing the brown paper bag as though it was truly a gift from God, "Hungry?" She chimed, watching with delight as a slow smile overtook Steve's pretty face.

 He tossed an arm around her shoulders, pulling her close until they bumped against one another, "What would we do without you?"

 "Starve? Wither away and positively perish?"

 Steve grinned then, his fingers easily plucking the bag from her hold. In his haste, the paper ripped and a french fry toppled to the ground; he cast it a forlorn look as though he was truly mourning its loss. With a final look to ensure no customers were to be seen, he took the biggest bite of his burger that he could. A smudge of ketchup lingered on his top lip.

 "Just so you know..." Robin's voice called, her head poking through the little window to the break room. Her usual board was clasped within her fingers, a red pen left to roll away from her, "You're oh-for-six, popeye."

 Robin had been utterly incessant when it came to keeping track of Steve's abysmal endeavours at wooing a girl. It was strange really; he was cute, he genuinely cared about people, and he was funny, even if the humour was usual at his own expense... and yet nobody seemed interested.

 The worst thing for Steve seemed to be the fact that he was comparing himself to the very person he'd changed from. King Steve had his pick of the ladies, his silver tongue would draw people in and his charm and good looks would make them stay.

 He had been a smooth-talker, and now he couldn't speak without stumbling, without his tongue tangling like a telephone cord.

 Scarlet spoke without a thought flittering through her head, "You got rejected again?"

 Steve sighed, his body slumping against the back counter, the back of his head planted against the wall. To add further insult to injury... a pickle fell out of his burger, causing Steve to groan, "Yes, I got rejected again."

 "I didn't —" Scarlet bit her tongue; she really hadn't meant it like that. She hadn't been trying to poke fun at him, for once, it was just odd to her. She cocked her head, a stray oil-black strand slipping through her eyelashes.

 Steve, even with that garish uniform, was cute; and she'd thought so from the moment she'd laid eyes upon him. His structured face, perpetually pursed lips and charming brown eyes that looked like a glass of whiskey permeated by a beam of sunlight... Even his stammering over words; she'd witnessed it first hand wherever she teased him — it was endearing. She couldn't understand it, really.

 Then again, there was a small — guilty — sliver of her that felt elated at his failures. It sounded terrible, really it did, but Scarlet always felt the familiar approach of a buzz over her skin whenever Steve would trail back looking like a little wounded puppy... the sensation of that buzz would only flourish when she'd be the first to pull a new smile from him.

 "— You know that means you suck, right?" Robin grinned. From the moment she'd seen Steve make his first move on any of their customers, Robin had unhooked the board from the wall and hastily jotted down each and every failed attempt.

 It might have been a little mean, but Steve Harrington had been a bit of a... well, a jerk in school — when he had been surrounded by his friends, at least. She could remember the lot of them chortling at herself and the other band geeks, laughing at their garishly green uniforms and shining little instruments.

 The way Carol had plucked a pencil from her desk and Tommy H. had knocked her perfectly stacked book pile to the ground... all while Steve watched on, chuckling when his friends had turned his way.

 So, yeah, Robin was getting her own back... But it wasn't just that. Robin thought, that maybe, just maybe, Steve Harrington would get his head out of his ass and finally act on the feelings he had for their best friend. God, it was so obvious it made Robin want to dunk her head in a tub of their worst flavour of ice cream — salted liquorice.

 Now, was Robin doing anything even slightly similar to prompt Scarlet from making a move? No, no she was not. But Scarlet was Scarlet... and Steve was, well, he was Steve. It made sense, right?

 Steve glared at Robin, eyes actively avoiding the bright red lines scattered beneath the side dutifully labelled 'You suck!', "Yes, Robin, I can read."

 "Since when?"

 Scarlet couldn't help the small twitch of her lips at Robins's teasing; it had been the reason they'd originally become friends, after all. She could remember it so very plainly... the moment the name 'Stevie' had slipped from strawberry-scented lips, Robin had bundled onwards with the brightest eyes and coyest of grins, repeating the name, trying it on her tongue... until she'd snorted loud enough to burst her own eardrums.

 Their friendship had been solidified, and Steve had to pinch himself to truly ensure he wasn't within a nightmare.

 Steve's face scrunched, his nose wrinkling within his own disgruntlement. Brown eyes narrowed swiftly, peering at the hat teetering upon Robin's head. He grasped ahold of his own, scrunching it into a ball while glaring vehemently at it, "It's this stupid hat."

 Scarlet scoffed, prying his hands open before plucking the hat from his hold. She shook it out, smoothing away the creases before it found its place on her own head, "I think it's quite cute, actually."

 "Yeah, on you." He grumbled, hardly registering his own words. Steve was rather thankful that he'd turned his back the moment he'd spoken, for his pink cheeks would have only flared further if he saw the grin he knew Scarlet would be sporting. He spoke louder, hands drifting through his hair, "That hat is totally blowing my best feature."

 Robin's brow rose in disbelief, her voice nothing more than a bored drawl, "Yeah, company policy is a real drag." Her eyes narrowed at the boy, watching the way his eyes would flicker back to Scarlet with every pace he took. She was the one person who truly made idiot Harrington smile, and the only person — other than Robin — that Steve was himself around, "You know, it's a crazy idea, but have you ever considered... telling the truth?"

 Steve couldn't think of anything worse. From his asshole of a father cutting him off and swapping in his rather plush car for one that creaked with every gear change. To the truth of the way he had to have someone help him with his university application, just because he kept getting his letters the wrong way around. The truth was that the last person he'd actually acted as himself around — Nancy Wheeler — had... well... cheated on him.

 He'd tried to brush her actions aside, but then, when he'd actually sat back and recalled each of their words; Nancy had cheated. They might have argued at that party on Halloween, but Nancy had acted as though her words that night hadn't meant a thing... when in reality, she had meant every single word.

 They'd spoken since, Nancy and Steve. Nancy had wrung her hands, twiddled with a loose thread on her sweater... and then she'd told him everything. Everything from the moment they'd parted ways with the word bullshit shared between them... to her night with Jonathan when the two of them had sought out Murray Bauman's help... She had even told him how she'd waited for Jonathan, even whilst they were still together all that time ago.

 She had apologised. Of course, she had, she's Nancy... But that hadn't made her words feel anything less like a hot poker directed right at Steve's heart. Still, Steve Harrington had smiled at her, he'd cupped her hand with his own, and he'd told her that they just weren't right for one another. He'd forgiven her, no matter whether he felt as though his heart had shattered.

 Steve blamed himself; he blamed himself for not loving her enough, for not being a better boyfriend, for not having better friends... or maybe he blamed himself for... well he didn't know what else he blamed himself for. He just did. 

 Now, with every rejection he faced from people he didn't actually want to go out with, his ego got bruised far deeper than it already is, and that fear of never quite being a person who could be loved was only cemented further.

 Steve quite obviously, didn't voice any of these thoughts. No, how could he? Rather, Steve Harrington kept his face and gaze well hidden from Scarlet and Robin, "Oh you mean that I couldn't even write my own application? Or how my own dad has cut me off completely and his version of 'being reasonable' is letting me live in my own damn house? Or maybe the fact that I make three bucks an hour serving stupid ice cream to kids... and I have no future?" His chest rose and fell with ferocity, "That truth?"

 Robin blinked, her lips parting yet no words could prevail. She turned to Scarlet.

 Scarlet's face had fallen with every self-deprecating word; it was hypocritical of her, for Scarlet spoke of herself in the very same manner. She came across as such a lovely girl, as so many of Hawkins residents had gushed to Hopper all while he stood with utter pride within his chest. She came across as a strong woman already paving her way through her new life... but the reality was that Scarlet just couldn't quite get to grips with anything. Not in a skill sense; no, she felt as though the earth would cave in beneath her with every passing moment. She couldn't quite let herself get comfortable in fear of everything fading away like one of Kali's flickering illusions.

 Even so, Scarlet couldn't stand the wobbly edge to Steve's voice; something she'd heard so many times before when he'd call with a lump in his throat and a new story to tell about his idiot father. Her hand reached out, gentle fingers gazing at his shoulder, she felt him shiver, "Steve..." Her voice was as soft as the tub of vanilla ice cream glistening within the freezer. But then she cleared her throat, banishing the sense of pity — Steve didn't need that, "You do have a future, idiot. We're sending our applications away, and we'll both be going together..." A sweet smile tugged her lips higher, "Or I'll drag you there myself. As for your father; he's an asshole."

 Steve had turned by the time she'd sung her last little word. Her honied voice always did wonders to his ears and Steve had already found himself forgetting his thoughts of Nancy, forgetting about the girls who had practically run away from him with terror within their eyes.

 But Steve Harrington really was an idiot; so rather than grin at her, or perhaps wrap her within a warm hug... Steve sucked up the former embarrassment, the former pain and let it out with a clap of his hands, "You know what, screw company policy."

 Scarlet was utterly exasperated, her hands flying in the air as she heaved herself onto the back counter, "Why do I bother?"

 "Woah," Robin said, her voice as dull as an autumnal morning swamped in fog, "You're a whole new man."

 Steve shimmied his shoulders and spun with such speed that Scarlet was certain she'd felt the coolest breeze of the summer. Her head slumped to the side, temple knocking against Robin's as the duo watched a cluster of girls approach the counter, "This is going to be hard to watch."

 "Yup."

 "Ahoy ladies!" Steve hollered. His voice echoed from this throat as though someone had placed a megaphone right before his pink lips. It travelled through the store and all remaining customers paused. Ice cream dripped on the tables. Sprinkles sprayed about. Steve ignored them all, and apparently, he also ignored the startled gasps from the girls in front of him.

 "Oh, my God." Robin groaned. Usually, she'd have been absolutely delighted while watching Steve's horrendous attempts at wooing any living organism around him... but this... this was painful.

 Steve continued on as though he hadn't yelled like a tornado siren, "Didn't see you there! Would you guys like to set sail on this ocean of flavour with me? I'll be your captain." He chuckled to himself, feeling as suave as ever, yet he appeared as though someone had forced him before a reporter to recite a script his boss had forced upon him. His hand trailed through his hair again, before each palm landed upon his waist, "I'm Steve Harrington."

 The girls Steve had practically screamed at couldn't have seemed less interested if they tried. Their hands had darted to their bright pink lips, smothering the laughs that threatened to smack Steve right in the ego. They inevitably slipped free and both Scarlet and Robin could see Steve's shoulders slumping further and further.

 "You might wanna save him," Robin whispered through the silence.

 The only thing to be heard was the customers chattering away at their tables, and the stray snorts and mocking giggles from the girls still waiting for Steve to take their order and give up on his flirtatious attempts.

 Scarlet hated it. The feeling in her heart whenever she'd watch Steve saunter up to the counter with such words on the tip of his tongue; she chalked it up to the fact that every single time ended appalling; while she found some amusement, this was just miserable.

 Thus she leapt from the counter. Her converse slapped against the ground, bypassing a splodge of blue raspberry syrup that had been clinging to the floor for at least an hour or two. Her fingers curled around the collar of Steve's uniform — forcing her to the tips of her toes.

 Steve was spun in place, hardly able to make even a sound as Scarlet planted her palms on his back and pushed him towards the break room door. He had no choice but to scramble for the handle and vault through, stumbling as he went.

 Scarlet, however, remained at the very front of the counter with a sweet-as-buttercream smile smeared on her face like frosting over a cupcake. She grinned at the giggling girls, though her smile was nothing more than courteous; she couldn't quite scowl the way that she wanted and risk Steve and Robin getting a rather firm talking to.

 "What can I get for you?" Scarlet's fingers had already curled around a waffle cone and a freshly cleaned scooper, eyes still on the girls who seemed to consider her for a moment; it made sense, a tee as yellow as the sun and a pair of dungarees didn't exactly scream 'I work here, gimmie your dumb order.'

 One of the teenagers cleared her throat, her mass of frizzed hair bobbing with each syllable she spoke. Her voice still held a lilt of amusement, eyes glancing to the window where Robin held narrowed gaze upon her, "Just a scoop of strawberry."

 No please, and no thank you. 

 Scarlet dug the scooper into the bright pink vat of strawberry ice cream, scooping along until a ball could be dolloped upon the cone. She brandished it and the girl hastily took it from her hold, tossing two dollars onto the sticky counter.

 With that, the girls turned from the counter all while leaning close to one another, whispering as they rounded the corner and disappeared from sight.

 Scarlet couldn't help but feel quite relieved as they went, giggling away about the idiot behind the counter who had proclaimed his name as though he were royalty. Scarlet twisted, her hip resting against the counter, sure to avoid the pile of crushed cookie crumbs right by her fingertips.

 She might have felt bad for Steve... she might have felt truly relieved that the girls had turned him down amidst their mocking laughter — no matter how guilty she felt for feeling such a way... But it was embarrassing.

 "Really, Steve?" Scarlet snorted, swiftly spying the way Robin's lips curled into her mouth, trapping the haughty laughter that was truly ready to spray like a sprinkler, "An ocean of flavours? I'll be your captain? You should have just kept the hat."

 Steve stammered, his tongue twisting as words completely and utterly refused to form. He gaped, lips parting and closing like a goldfish with each second that passed; he could feel Robin's stare, he could practically hear her laughter already... as for Scarlet, he could see the corner of her lip twitching, restraining from a grin.

 Finally, he hung his head. Deep embarrassment flooded his body; he'd cursed himself, he'd cursed his future kids, hell, he cursed their kids — though at the rate he was going, Steve truly wondered if he'd even have any to curse.

 A mortified groan left his body, forehead planted on the little shelf where the window to the store resided... he let out an even louder, deeper groan that wracked his entire form when Scarlet plopped his hat right back atop his head and patted his hair with a carefree hand.

 So much for King Steve.

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11-01-2020

edited version: 30-07-2022

don't forget to let me know what you think; and remember that i now require a particular number of comments and feedback before i consider releasing the next part (this is just to ensure people remain engaged and supportive, as well as to allow me to see what you all enjoyed most!), and please do NOT leave comments telling me to update; they'll be ignored and you'll be muted, much love <3